Have You

[TWR]

Had any broken Suspension Coil Springs? just replaced the 2 front one's due to one snapping, a friend who has a local garage has said, he has never seen so many springs snapping due to the quality of the Springs & the roads full of pot Holes.

[FrogNog]

My route to work is quite appalling. Full of potholes and the road edges are collapsing. They actually make it worse by coming along and carelessly dumping tarmac in the holes every now and then, so I keep my suspension springs by slowing down for them. Luckily I have soft suspension anyway and for the most part I know where they are.

[Buenchico]

While pot holes will obviously add to the stresses on springs (and thus eventually shorted their life) my own experience is that they actually fracture when nowhere near to a pothole.

For example, I've simply opened the door to my car and sat in it, only to hear the big 'twang' of a spring breaking. (I'm not that heavy, honestly!).

Similarly I've been driving along well-maintained, smooth roads and suddenly heard the clatter of part of a spring striking the underside of the car.

[TWR]

Frog, just a tip if I may, take the time & take photos of the effected Road & report it to the Council, the Time / Date/ the person you have spoken to, explain if your car gets damaged you will sue, I don't know about your area but here, I'm sick of the excuses they have no money, I have a car that cost money & it's getting damaged by the state of these roads, I also think others should do the same.

[TWR]

Poor quality metal in the Springs Buen. years gone by springs were far more stronger than these things they have today.

[FrogNog]

I know TWR and I do report it, which is why the elastoplast tarmac lumps.
Half the road is owned by one council and the other half another and one half is well maintained and a joy to drive on as a rural road

[TWR]

Good on you. x

[FrogNog]

Here is the nice bit
http://tinypic.com/r/27xp30n/8

[FrogNog]

and if I turn the camera round...
http://tinypic.com/r/2hod7w0/8

[tonyav]

Had one snap about ten years ago on a Mondeo ST I had at the time. I think your right about the quality of the steel that is / has been used to produce the springs.

[derekpara]

I think the damage is caused by speed humps, pot-holes and inferior quality springs.

Chris's ( Buencho) damage isn't caused by bouncing into the driver's seat , or boucing in the back seat, but the final stress to already damaged springs. No need to diet, Chris.

D

[tonyav]

derek, Chris's problem was down to the 20 crates of beer in the boot.

[Electrochem]

From what I have been told by several mechanics, it is the coating on the springs that is there to preventing them from rusting prematurely that is the main problem. The coating is easily chipped by stones etc and this allows corrosion to take hold and cause the spring to snap. There is no doubt that the quality of the metal used to make the spring has something to do with the number of springs that now break. Speed bumps do no end of damage, not only to springs, but shock absorbers and tyres, particularly the inside wall of the latter. I have read many articles on the square speed bumps with the chamfered edges that advise you to drive over them with one wheel over the hump and the other on the road.